Letters to Mrs. Baby, 9 months

Hello Mrs. Baby!

If I wrote this when you *actually* turned 9 months, I wouldn't be able to mention your forward-crawling and your pulling to standing!  Yes, it happened that fast!  Before you were rolling and scooting backwards but now, wow, you are a fast forward crawler.  The other night we set you on the carpet and mom and dad were both in the bathroom and, here you came, crawling furiously toward the bathroom.  It was kind of adorable.

Though it makes Daddy's job much, much harder.

I just introduced you to the song "If you're happy and you know it."  You love mimicking clapping and you just seemed delighted.  I'm amazed at what goes on in your mind.  You definitely understand cause-and-effect; I have fun making a fishy face at you in the car and waiting until you point to my lips to "pop!"  I cherish our little games.

On the food and sleep fronts, we have a win and a lose.  We've been giving you smaller food and you've been doing really well.  With some small slippery food (kiwi, mainly), you've been pulling it to the edge of your tray and trying to slurp it up off of it from there.  You are certainly industrious, but we should have known that when you ate your puffs off of the back of your hand (or anywhere else they would stick!).

Sleeping is so very hard and kind of horrible.  We seem to have 2 options at night.  Nurse you indefinitely or  let you cry to sleep.  Neither option works very well, honestly.  We've been letting you cry at first and then bringing you in to bed when you wake up overnight, but it is so, so, SO hard for me to hear you cry and let you cry.  I really don't like it and am desperately trying to find a better way.

You had your first full-body pool experience at my parents' house and you loved it.  You kicked your legs and waved your arms and seemed like a natural.  Then you drifted off to a peaceful sleep laying on a towel on the grass.  That is the life!  Just like your mama.  gMom says I was the same way as a baby.

We had your first appointment with the new pediatrician and we really like her.  You had a couple shots but Daddy sent me out of the room.  I guess it is pretty sad to see you hurting.  I loved holding you afterward in hopes that I could help you feel better.  I seem to have a calming effect on you.  Those are the times I feel most like your mom.

I love you KickyBaby.  It is going so fast though.... where is the Pause button?
Except for the sleeping thing - let's fast-forward to good sleep soon.  =)

All my best,
Mommy